


An addition to the family

by manateehugger



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-20
Updated: 2014-03-20
Packaged: 2018-01-14 11:30:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1264828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manateehugger/pseuds/manateehugger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cordelia, Lady Alys and Simon discuss what is to be done about Mark. Set shortly after Brothers in Arms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An addition to the family

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [ana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ana/pseuds/ana) in the [Bujold_Ficathon_2012](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Bujold_Ficathon_2012) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> After Brothers in Arms - Reaction/Discussion of Cordelia and Alys (maybe Simon too) when they first discover the existence of Mark and what he's just done to their sons.

Lady Alys was pacing furiously. There wasn’t much else she could do at this point since all the action had already been handled weeks ago by the boys, Cordelia noted from her own seat.

They were in the library of Vorkosigan house. It was a special briefing from Simon Illyan about the recent discovery of Miles’s clone-brother Mark. Simon looked uneasy and slightly ashamed as he watched Lady Alys moving. To be fair there was always plenty on his plate as Chief of ImpSec, Cordelia decided. She’d been talking to Aral for years about assigning Illyan an assistant or co-head of the department. Frankly she was surprised that the man hadn’t had a nervous breakdown yet. That he had not known about the clone before this recent incident should not be taken as a major character failing on his part. However, Simon did look ready to throw himself off the ramparts in expiation if either of the two ladies asked him to do it. 

“So this clone, this thing is still on the loose after what he did to Ivan,” Lady Alys demanded.

She had finally stopped pacing, though Cordelia thought that wasn’t necessarily for the better. This entire planet was so insistent on hiding and covering over their emotions it was surprising that there weren’t more ‘random shootings’. Basic de-stressing techniques and complimentary counseling were offered to every citizen of Beta. But mental illness and problems coping with stress were such a stigma here that people tried to just handle all their problems themselves. That inevitably led to trouble for everyone, but no one talked about it either.

Cordelia sighed, “Miles stated in his vid to me that he tried to convince his younger brother to come home with him. But the boy refused.”

“Cordelia, you cannot be serious about calling that thing your son. Not after he tried to kill Ivan,” Lady Alys declared. 

She didn’t quite yell, though Cordelia would have preferred it. The younger woman was clearly upset. Unsurprising since Lady Alys had no other family besides her son. Lady Alys had thought Ivan would be relatively safe on Earth doing embassy duty. She had no way of knowing he would be kidnapped as a pawn to lure Miles out to meet the Komarran terrorist Ser Galen.

“Technically Mark didn’t try to kill Ivan. He was only holding him ransom. From Miles message to me it sounds like Mark was every bit a prisoner to Ser Galen as Ivan was. The restraints were merely… less visible,” Cordelia noted.

“I don’t care. I don’t want him anywhere near Ivan ever again. Do you know what that would have done to me if anything had happened to Ivan? I would have- I would be-“ Lady Alys broke down into tears.

Cordelia looked to Illyan who sat statue still, frozen in place. She waited a beat to see if he would overcome his shyness and comfort Lady Alys. Cordelia seemed to be the only one aware of his long-time crush on her. Unsurprising since his method of wooing her was to invite her to more security briefings about state dinners at the Residence and add an extra security team to watch her. The poor man was so consumed by his job he had no other way of interacting with people. 

Cordelia stood up and hugged Lady Alys, while murmuring reassuring things to her. This lasted several minutes. Out of the corner of her eye, Cordelia saw Simon get up and walk out. That was typical of men here. For some bizarre reason male children were trained to never show emotions that were perceived as negative, such as fear or pain or sadness. So of course they were very uncomfortable when they saw someone else expressing them. 

“It’s alright. Ivan is fine. He is coming back in a nice safe ship to the capital. I’m sure he has leave time accrued so when he arrives you can spend several days doting on him. Considering the recent encounter he might not even complain,” Cordelia said. 

Cordelia guided them over to a couch and sat herself and Lady Alys down. Illyan returned with a glass of water and a handkerchief which he quietly offered to Lady Alys. Cordelia silently congratulated him on his initiative. 

“Thank you, Captain Illyan,” Lady Alys murmured accepting the gifts.

Simon nodded and returned to his perch on a chair.

“I understand your views on this Lady Alys. They are similar to my own. But I was formally Requested and Required to pass this information on to the both of you to decide what to do about our new situation,” Captian Illyan explained.

“And by new situation you mean you’re still trying to decide whether or not to murder my son,” Cordelia interpreted sweetly.

“Countess Vorkosigan, you know I am sworn to serve and protect this empire and these subjects,” Simon began.

“This includes my seventeen year old son who is a citizen of this imperium by birth right even if he has never set foot on this planet. By your own report you note that Mark shot Ser Galen. Not Miles or the Dendarii or the Barrayaran brigade sent down to rescue them or anyone else. Mark saved the day and prevented possible catastrophe for this empire. You mean to reward him for his service to the Imperium by murdering him,” Cordelia demanded.

“It is not considered murder if we are in the middle of a war,” Simon argued.

“No, but it’s called friendly fire when you shoot an ally. I may not be Barrayaran but I know that much at least. I also know that Mark destroyed the head of a Komarran terrorist cell when he killed Ser Galen. He did that by himself without any training from you or your people, too,” Cordelia declared.

Simon shook his head, “he isn’t so innocent as you think he is, the boy is a trained assassin. Who knows what he is capable of?”

“Exactly! You’re so worried about him destroying things that you won’t even consider what he could build if you just gave him the chance. You of all people will remember that Sergeant Bothari was a rapist and a murderer. But he was also the most devoted armsman and bodyguard for Miles that this family has ever had. Now you look me in the eye and tell me that Mark could be worse for my family than Bothari.”

“Sergeant Bothari, at least knew his place and had no grand designs to become emperor,” Simon argued.

“Neither does Mark! If he wanted Gregor’s job so badly he would have come back with Miles to be closer to his goal. If Mark wanted to be emperor why did he run away?”

“To rally future forces, to escape perceived punishment, guilt perhaps, I have no idea. Nor will I until I get a chance to interrogate him,” Simon stated.

“No interrogations and no murders. Simon Illyan, may God help you if I find out you harmed my son or plan to do so,” Cordelia stated her hands clenched. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind Cordelia wondered when she’d become so violent. Undoubtedly it had been a slow descent to it, precipitated by the Barrayaran culture around her. She took a careful breath and exhaled, unclenching her fists. Lady Alys was staring at her oddly. Perhaps remembering how Cordelia had handled Vordarian, the man who had threatened her first born son. Simon also had a similar look. 

He shook his head, “Aral said you would say something like that. He also agreed that whatever decision you make about the boy he would abide by. Alright, well I can order a team to kidnap the clone and bring him back to you.”

“No kidnapping,” Cordelia declared. Barrayarans! It was as if the only thing they understood was violence.

Simon gave her an exasperated look, “well we can’t just let him run around the nexus as he is.”

“Why not, he’s been doing it for the past seventeen years. Besides, I’m sure he’s already psychologically scarred from his time with Galen. I will be expecting you to look into what has been done to him under Galne’s care mind you. But I don’t want the boy anymore scared of his family than he already is. I want him to come to us when he’s ready. Not to be stuffed into a sack and deposited on our doorstep like an abandoned kitten,” Cordelia stated.

“We have more effective ways of transporting people than sacks, Milady,” Simon noted in bemusement. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

Lady Alys shook her head, “well just make sure he is not a homicidal maniac when I meet him. I will not be held responsible for what I do to him if he ever tries anything towards Ivan again.”

With that Lady Alys swept out of the room.

Cordelia and Simon stared at each other in silence for a minute. Then Simon rose to say his goodbyes.

“So when are you going to actually tell her,” Cordelia asked interrupting him.

“Who,” Simon asked in confusion and just a little guilt.

Cordelia looked Simon over. Barrayarans prided themselves on being tough. They showed graphic violence on their vids and calmly discussed murder. But try to talk to one about making love and he would run for the exit. 

Cordelia sighed, “Never mind Simon. Go on, I shouldn’t be keeping you from your next appointment. And remember, I want reports on Mark. But no murder and no kindapping, got it?”

Simon offered her a small bow, “yes, Milady.”


End file.
